Toby pulled me out of the room the minute we got home, leaving Nico leaning against Elle’s bed. He shut the door behind us, and I glanced nervously down the hallway. It was quiet and empty, for now, but I didn’t want us to get caught.

“What are you thinking?” Toby whispered, angry. “Why would you bring him back here?”

I took a breath, then paused. I wasn’t sure how to explain this one.

“He stinks,” Toby hissed, when I didn’t respond.

“He needs help,” I whispered. “I couldn’t treat him where he was. He’s been sleeping in the forest.”

“He can sleep in a coffin for all I care,” Toby responded. “He’s dangerous. We can’t trust him.”

“He helped us.”

“Did he? For what? We still don’t know what we wants, Paige. What if he leads other Averus to us? He may seem penitent now, but every history book is full of bloodshed at his hands.”

I paused, uncertain.

“Maybe people can change?” I said, feeling less certain by the minute. Toby looked about to snap.

”He made me cover myself in jam--” Toby cut himself off, shaking his head. “Whatever his game is, I don’t want to play it.”

“We don’t have a choice,” I sighed. “Maybe he can help you. And we can’t just let him suffer out on the streets--”

Nico opened the door.

“Vampires have heightened senses,” Nico said to Toby. “Smell, but also hearing.”

“Yeah, I’ve figured that out, thanks,” Toby said. Nico continued looking at Toby.

“I can hear your conversation,” Nico clarified.

Oh, shit.

“Well, hear this,” Toby snapped. “You’re not welcome here.”

“Toby!” I shoved both boys back into my room and slammed the door behind me.

Nico growled at Toby--actually growled, like an angry bear. Toby growled back, his fangs emerging from his mouth.

“Oh, hell no,” I said. I shoved Toby towards my bed, and Nico towards Elle’s. Nico whimpered a little--his stomach was still bleeding. I glared at him, and he quieted down.

“The world hates Averus vampires for a reason,” Toby said quietly. “Paige, I think you’re forgetting that this notoriously violent vampire got us all into this mess in the first place--”

“Do you really believe that?” Nico said, rising to Toby’s provocation.

“I was trying to protect us--”

“I wasn’t going to hurt you,” Nico interrupted.

“An Averus? Wasn’t trying to hurt us?” Toby mocked. “Forgive me if I didn’t want to wait to find out.”

“I’ll gladly forgive you when you offer an apology,” Nico said.

“I wasn’t actually asking for forgiveness--”

I could barely hear myself think over their bickering.

“Both of you,” I interrupted, “need to shut up for, like. A minute.”

I took a deep breath as they looked at me, surprised.

“There’s a first aid kit in the bottom of my closet,” I said slowly. I looked at Toby. “Now, please.”

Toby grumbled, but went to get it

“Here’s what we’re going to do,” I said, as he pulled it out. I turned to Nico. “We’re going to get you cleaned up. You are going to feed. You are--”

“Hey,” Toby said. “You can’t just--”

“I can do whatever I want,” I said shrilly. I looked at Toby, and softened. “It was a part of the deal,” I said. He held my eye contact, then finally nodded. I saw his fangs retract.

“You’re too kind,” he said, but it sounded like a warning. He leaned over and kissed me, hard.

When he finally pulled back, he glared at Nico. That was definitely a warning.

“Clothes,” I said to Toby. He rolled his eyes, but started digging in his drawer and pulled out his least favorite pair of sweats.

I grabbed a pair of scissors and a spare towel.

“Come with me,” I mumbled. I checked to make sure the hallway was clear, then led Nico to the bathroom.

“Is he always like that?” Nico asked, as I cut his coat off. I had to cut the shirt underneath as well, and slid it out from under the splint as he winced.

“He’s not like that,” I said. I focused on my work, avoiding looking Nico in the eye. “He’s just not ready to trust an Averus.”

“He is an Averus,” Nico pointed out, as though that changed anything.

“We know,” I said, testy. I ran my fingers over his splinted arm--it was definitely bruised, but hard to see through the dirt caked over his skin. “You should shower. Don’t worry about this arm. I’ll wipe it down when you get out.”

“And--?” Nico gestured to the bloody mess he was still holding over the wound on his stomach.

I peeled back some of the fabric.

“It looks better,” I said, unsure. “We’ll still dress it when you’re out.”

Nico stood, and looked at me, uncomfortable.

“I’ll turn around,” I said. And did. I didn’t want to leave him alone--I kept picturing this anemic vampire slipping and snapping his neck in the girls’ showers--but I felt uncomfortable as I listened to him undress.

I’d never been near a naked man in my life. Now I was up to two naked vampires, just this week.

I could hear Nico fussing around--with one arm in a splint, showering took a while. I waited for him to dry himself off and struggle into the sweats Toby had provided. There was a t-shirt to go along with them, but when I turned around again, Nico was sitting shirtless on the bench, inspecting his splint.

“Let’s take a look,” I said, falsely cheerful.

I dressed his stomach first. Blood was still oozing from the wound, but it had slowed down. I was constantly amazed at how quickly vampires healed.

“You should stay with us tonight,” I said, as I worked. “Ignore Toby. You can’t sleep out in the open…”

I grabbed a washcloth and started gently wiping Nico’s arm down. It didn’t feel broken. Nico winced and hissed and whimpered as I inspected the bones of his forearm, but it only felt like a fracture. I re-splinted it quickly, then eyed Nico.

Nico had been more open to talking to me while we waited for Toby to rise from his grave. I wondered if his unwillingness to talk now was due to pain, or something else.

“You should feed,” I said. I didn’t want him feeding in front of Toby. Nico just nodded, and I rolled up my sleeve.

He took my arm gently, then looked up for confirmation. I couldn’t avoid eye contact any longer--but I was struck by how different his red eyes were from Toby’s. Where Toby’s burned almost orange, Nico’s eyes held a hint of blue at the center. Like a flame.

He sank his teeth into my wrist. I wasn’t quite used to the sensation--or how giddy it made me feel. I let my eyes float closed...

But Nico pulled back almost immediately. My eyes shot open.

“Don’t you need…?” I asked. He was injured. He was going to need more than a few drops to recover.

“Not immediately,” he said, and it was his turn to avoid eye contact with me.

I helped him get the t-shirt on, and we headed back to my room.

Toby had opened the window to let out the smell when we got back, and was sulking on my bed.

“Does Nico have some sort of ritual to smell less like garbage--?” Toby started, but I cut him off.

“We’re not having this conversation tonight,” I said, suddenly starving. “We’ll have it in the morning. But for right now, you’re going to sleep over there--” I pointed to my bed, then turned to Nico. “--And you’re going to sleep over there.” I pointed to Elle’s bed.

“Where will you sleep?” Nico asked. “One of us should sleep on the floor.”

I didn’t want to have that conversation tonight, either.

“My blood sugar is low,” I said. “I’m going to get a snack. If either of you moves from your beds while I’m gone--” I didn’t have a threat to offer. I was just tired. I pointed at each of them.

“Dont,” I said finally, and left.

Then I opened the door again.

“Be nice,” I warned. Then I headed for the vending machine.